Pyroxylin compound.



2 5 tirely dispensed with.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

ERNsT ZUHL, or BERLIN, GERMANY.

PYROXYLiN GOMPO UND.

SPEGIFIGATKON forming part of Letters IPatent No. 700,885, dated May 27,1902.

Application filed July 2, 1901. Serial No. 66,913. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST ZUHL, chemist,

a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, and a resident ofBerlin, in the King 5 dom of Prussia, German Empire, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Celluloid or Pyroxylin Compoundsand Processes of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to an artificial substance which is employedin the arts and trades for the same purposes as celluloid, pyralin, andsimilar compositions. The comi'nercially-successful compositions of thiskind consist, essentially, of nitrocellulose and cam phor, the latter ofwhich is very expensive. In order to produce a cheap composition of thiskind, it is necessary to reduce the quantity of camphor employed in themanufacture of celluloid or similar compositions, or preferably todispense entirely with same.

It is the special object of my invention to produce a cheap compositionof this kind in which the use of camphor is preferably on- My newcomposition, further, possesses additional advantages, as will be fullydescribed farther down.

I have discovered that the esters or compound ethers of the inorganicacids and the 0 oxygenated hydrocarbons of the aromatic compounds are avaluable and effective substitute for camphor in celluloid-likecompositions, and of these particularly the esters of phosphoric acidwith the monooxygenated hydrocarbons of the aromatic series.

My novel material is composed, essentially, of nitrated cellulose andthe phosphoric-acid esters of the monooxygenated hydrocarbons of thearomatic series or ring type, in which one atom of hydrogen is replacedby the hydroxyl group, and I prefer to use triphenylphosphate,tricresylphosphate, and trinaphthylphosphate as a substitute for camphorin my novel composition.

The esters of inorganic acids of the monooxygenated hydrocarbons presentvarious marked advantages as compared with substitutes for camphor Whichare composed en tirely of organic matter. The esters of the inorganicacids in a celluloid composition retard considerably the combustion ofthe mass or articles made therefrom. The ready goods of this compositionare odorless. They do not decompose, and they retain their color.

In manufacturing the solid material I substantially proceed as follows:The nitrocellulose is preferably treated with an auxiliary solvent; butthis is not indispensably necessary. Then the phosphoric-acid esters ofthe monooxygenated hydrocarbons of the aro matic series are mixedtherewith and the resulting mixture manipulated according to thewell-known methods employed in the manufacture of celluloid, so that thesolid material is obtained.

For many purposes I prefer to use the following formulas:

1. Fifty kilograms of triphenylphosphate, PO(OC H is mixed with onehundred and twenty kilograms of nitrocellulose, with or without the aidof an auxiliary solvent, and the resulting mixture worked up in theusual manner.

2. Fifty kilograms of tricresylphosphate, PO(OC,-H,) is mixed with onehundred and twenty-five kilograms of nitrocellulose, with or without theaid of an auxiliary solvent, an d the resulting mixture worked up asusual.

Twenty-five kilograms of trinaphthylphosphate, PO(OG H,) is mixed withseventy-five kilograms of nitrocellulose and then worked up according towell-known methods.

These proportions may be varied, however, within reasonable limits.

The use of inorganic esters in the manufacture of celluloid or similarcompositions not only cheapens the final product, but the material, aswell as the finished articles, possess the above-defined markedadvantages.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States 1. The process of manufacturingpyroxylin compounds which consists in combining nitrated cellulose withone or more members of the compound esters of phosphoric acid andmonooxygenated hydrocarbons of the aromatic series (consistingessentially of triphenylphosphate, tricresylphosphate andtrinaphthylphosphate,) as described.

2. The process of manufacturing pyroxylin compounds which consists incombining nitrated cellulose with one or more members of the compound.esters of phosphoric acid and monooxygenated hydrocarbons of thearomatic series (consisting essentially of triphenylphosphate,tricresylphosphate and trinaphthylphosphate,) and Working the resultin9; mixture up into the material, as specified.

3. The process-of manufacturing pyroxylin compounds which consists incombining nitrated cellulose with one or more members of the compoundesters of phosphoric acid and monooxygenated hydrocarbons of thearematic series (consisting essentially of triphenylphosphate,tricresylphosphate and trinaphthylphosphate,) and an auxiliary solvent,as specified.

4. As a new article of manufacture a solid composition to be used as amaterial in the arts and trades and composed essentially of nitratedcellulose, and one or more members of the compound esters of phosphoricacid and monooxygenated hydrocarbons of the aromatic series (consistingessentially of triphenylphosphate, tricresylphosphate andtrinaphthylphosphate,) as specified.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a solid composition to be used as amaterial in the arts and trades and composed essentially ol nitratedcellulose, and one or more members of the compound esters of phosphoricacid and monooxygenated hydrocarbons of the aromatic series (consistingessentially of triphenylphosphate, tricresylphosphate andtrinaphthylpliosphate,) substantially as described and in theproportions specified.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a solid composition to be used as amaterial in the arts and trades and composed essentially of nitratedcellulose, and one or more members of the compound esters of phosphoricacid and monooxygenated hydrocarbons of the aromatic series(coi'isisting essentially of triphenylphosphate, tricresylphosphatc andtrinaphthylphosphate,) and an auxiliary solvent, as specified.

Signed by me at llerlin, this liBth day of June, 190].

s ItN'S'l UII'L.

Witnesses:

HENRY llasrnn, \V'oLimm/tn UTA UPT.

